Washington: Pakistan Foreign Minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri, who is on a three-day visit to US, has strongly suggested that Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf would give up his post as Army Chief by year's end.
Kasuri, who is holding talks with Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and Defence Secretary Robet Gates, said that the Constitution requires Musharraf to shed his uniform by the year end.
“He is on record as having said he will abide by the Constitution. The Constitution allows him to wear the uniform until the end of the year,†said Kasuri.
But Musharraf has been viewed as reluctant to give up his Army post by the end of the year as required by the Constitution, a move that would signal the country's return to civilian rule. He aims to be re-elected president by legislative assemblies before they are dissolved in November for a general election around the turn of the year.
Musharraf, who took power in a 1999 coup, is facing growing turmoil and opposition to his rule since his March 9 decision to suspend the Pakistan Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhr citing "misconduct and misuse of authority"..
Chaudhry's suspension had sparked off protests from lawyers and the opposition, which have snowballed into the most serious challenge to the authority of Musharraf since he seized power.
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